University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Saturday, January 13
Jonesboro, Ark.
12:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
6-8,2-3Sun Belt
64
at
63
Arkansas State
8-7,2-3Sun Belt
1
2
3
4
F
Louisiana
7
19
17
21
64
Arkansas St.
17
18
11
17
63
Jaylyn James’ Career Day Sparks Cajuns Comeback Victory in Jonesboro
1/13/2024 3:35:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Louisiana rallies past Arkansas State behind sophomore guard’s career-high 25 points
JONESBORO, Ark. – Jaylyn James scored a career-high 25 points and played an integral role defensively in leading the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Women's Basketball team back from a 12-point deficit in the first half and on to a 64-63 win over Arkansas State on Saturday, January 13 at First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
James buried three triples and piled up 15 points in the second quarter alone to help the Ragin' Cajuns (6-8, 2-3 SBC) draw the Red Wolves (8-7, 2-3 SBC) back in after the hosts had leaped in front 19-7.
Defensively, she was the main catalyst throughout the game for Louisiana in limiting ASU's leading scorer Izzy Higginbottom to her first single-digit outing of the season. Higginbottom was held scoreless in the first half and to just four field goal attempts, and wound up with only eight points on three makes – well below her season average of 22.5 points per game.
In steering UL in the right direction, James was personally responsible for 12 straight points that the team scored to start the second quarter. Her three-pointer at 5:03 sliced the Red Wolves' lead down to 21-19.
ASU would work the lead back into double digits, however James provided a momentum boost to end the second quarter with a triple 16 seconds before the horn that made it 35-26. The momentum carried into the second half as Louisiana opened with a 5-0 spurt over the first two minutes.
Later it was James with a five-point spurt of her own, using a triple and pair of free throws, to set up a two-possession game at 42-38 with 2:09 to go in the third.
Then in the fourth quarter, James hit a driving layup at 7:26 and completed the three-point play giving the Cajuns their first lead of the contest at 50-48.
ASU responded with a 9-3 run to jump back in front and had a three-point play of its own at 2:22 to extend the lead to 61-57. The Cajuns were undeterred, though, and answered back quickly with a triple from Brandi Williams just before the two-minute mark.
Fittingly in the final two minutes it was James with the key plays: a drive into the lane for a shot off glass at 1:25 that made it a one-point game again, at 63-62, and then securing the defensive rebound with 18 seconds remaining to set up the winning possession.
ASU had two fouls to give, and did so. Then off an inbounds pass underneath the basket the Cajuns wisely forced the ball inside to Tamera Johnson who drew contact and two free throws with 12 seconds showing. Johnson calmly hit both freebies for the final lead change of the afternoon.
Ashlyn Jones successfully defended a layup attempt from the Red Wolves in the final seconds, securing the win for the Ragin' Cajuns which allowed the squad to bounce back from Wednesday's disappointment in Troy and complete the new-year opening, four-game road trip with a 2-2 split.
James' career day also included a game-high tying eight rebounds, a block and two steals in 35 minutes of action. She shot 9-of-16 overall, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, and was a perfect 3-for-3 at the free throw line.
Johnson's two game-winning free throw makes brought her into a tie with Williams as the Cajuns' second-leading scorer with nine points and completed the team's efficient 10-of-11 performance from the charity stripe.
Louisiana flipped the script on ASU with its team defense in the second half, starting by holding the Red Wolves to just four makes on 36 percent shooting in the third quarter as they outscored them 17-11 in narrowing the halftime deficit.
ASU built its first-half edge with 6-of-11 shooting from three-point range, getting timely triples each time the Cajuns drew closer. In the second half the Cajuns defense limited the long-range opportunities and held the Red Wolves to a 2-of-8 showing.
The Ragin' Cajuns defeated ASU for the eighth time in the past nine meetings dating back to the 2019-20 season and improved to 14-10 in the Garry Brodhead era against the Red Wolves.
The 25 points scored by James, also her first career 20-point outing, marked the highest output by a Ragin' Cajun in the 2023-24 season and the was most since Lanay Wheaton scored 26 points on January 1, 2022 at Texas State.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The Ragin' Cajuns return home to the Cajundome where they will spend the remainder of the month of January.
Louisiana kicks off a four-game homestand next week with a Throwback Thursday game on January 18 at 6:00 p.m. vs. ULM followed by the annual Alumni Game set for 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 20 against Troy.
The back half of the homestand sees the Ragin' Cajuns welcome Coastal Carolina and Texas State to the Cajundome the weekend of January 25-27.
Admission for the entire homestand – and all UL Women's Basketball games throughout the entire season – is free and open to the public. Individuals planning to attend the Alumni Game (Jan. 20) can RSVP by sending an email to darbi.lockhart1@louisiana.edu.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsWBB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsWBB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsWBB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Women's Basketball.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
James buried three triples and piled up 15 points in the second quarter alone to help the Ragin' Cajuns (6-8, 2-3 SBC) draw the Red Wolves (8-7, 2-3 SBC) back in after the hosts had leaped in front 19-7.
Defensively, she was the main catalyst throughout the game for Louisiana in limiting ASU's leading scorer Izzy Higginbottom to her first single-digit outing of the season. Higginbottom was held scoreless in the first half and to just four field goal attempts, and wound up with only eight points on three makes – well below her season average of 22.5 points per game.
In steering UL in the right direction, James was personally responsible for 12 straight points that the team scored to start the second quarter. Her three-pointer at 5:03 sliced the Red Wolves' lead down to 21-19.
ASU would work the lead back into double digits, however James provided a momentum boost to end the second quarter with a triple 16 seconds before the horn that made it 35-26. The momentum carried into the second half as Louisiana opened with a 5-0 spurt over the first two minutes.
Later it was James with a five-point spurt of her own, using a triple and pair of free throws, to set up a two-possession game at 42-38 with 2:09 to go in the third.
Then in the fourth quarter, James hit a driving layup at 7:26 and completed the three-point play giving the Cajuns their first lead of the contest at 50-48.
ASU responded with a 9-3 run to jump back in front and had a three-point play of its own at 2:22 to extend the lead to 61-57. The Cajuns were undeterred, though, and answered back quickly with a triple from Brandi Williams just before the two-minute mark.
Fittingly in the final two minutes it was James with the key plays: a drive into the lane for a shot off glass at 1:25 that made it a one-point game again, at 63-62, and then securing the defensive rebound with 18 seconds remaining to set up the winning possession.
ASU had two fouls to give, and did so. Then off an inbounds pass underneath the basket the Cajuns wisely forced the ball inside to Tamera Johnson who drew contact and two free throws with 12 seconds showing. Johnson calmly hit both freebies for the final lead change of the afternoon.
Ashlyn Jones successfully defended a layup attempt from the Red Wolves in the final seconds, securing the win for the Ragin' Cajuns which allowed the squad to bounce back from Wednesday's disappointment in Troy and complete the new-year opening, four-game road trip with a 2-2 split.
James' career day also included a game-high tying eight rebounds, a block and two steals in 35 minutes of action. She shot 9-of-16 overall, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, and was a perfect 3-for-3 at the free throw line.
Johnson's two game-winning free throw makes brought her into a tie with Williams as the Cajuns' second-leading scorer with nine points and completed the team's efficient 10-of-11 performance from the charity stripe.
Louisiana flipped the script on ASU with its team defense in the second half, starting by holding the Red Wolves to just four makes on 36 percent shooting in the third quarter as they outscored them 17-11 in narrowing the halftime deficit.
ASU built its first-half edge with 6-of-11 shooting from three-point range, getting timely triples each time the Cajuns drew closer. In the second half the Cajuns defense limited the long-range opportunities and held the Red Wolves to a 2-of-8 showing.
The Ragin' Cajuns defeated ASU for the eighth time in the past nine meetings dating back to the 2019-20 season and improved to 14-10 in the Garry Brodhead era against the Red Wolves.
The 25 points scored by James, also her first career 20-point outing, marked the highest output by a Ragin' Cajun in the 2023-24 season and the was most since Lanay Wheaton scored 26 points on January 1, 2022 at Texas State.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The Ragin' Cajuns return home to the Cajundome where they will spend the remainder of the month of January.
Louisiana kicks off a four-game homestand next week with a Throwback Thursday game on January 18 at 6:00 p.m. vs. ULM followed by the annual Alumni Game set for 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 20 against Troy.
The back half of the homestand sees the Ragin' Cajuns welcome Coastal Carolina and Texas State to the Cajundome the weekend of January 25-27.
Admission for the entire homestand – and all UL Women's Basketball games throughout the entire season – is free and open to the public. Individuals planning to attend the Alumni Game (Jan. 20) can RSVP by sending an email to darbi.lockhart1@louisiana.edu.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsWBB), Facebook (/RaginCajunsWBB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsWBB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Women's Basketball.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
- www.RaginCajuns.com -
Team Stats
LA
ASU
FG%
.479
.467
3FG%
.444
.421
FT%
.909
.813
RB
21
31
TO
14
18
STL
4
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
25
FGM
9
3FGM
4
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
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